Most 17-year-old kids are still finding out what they desire to accomplish with their life. However, there are those kids who not only know what they desire but are also well on their way to getting it.
Christopher Ballinger, a youngster from Washington, D.C., understands what he wishes and sets out to obtain it. The 17-year-old is making history by becoming one of the country’s youngest Black pilots.
The major accomplishment is due entirely to the Air Force JROTC Flight Academy Program. The program is an 8-week summer aviation course held at institutions around the United States. A Private Pilot’s Certification is granted to students who successfully complete the curriculum. It was intended to pique the interest of young individuals in pursuing a profession in aviation.
Ballinger may now fly any single-engine land aircraft with this qualification. This is the first stage on his journey to becoming a fully qualified pilot. He participated in an eight-week aviation program at Walla Walla University in Washington State.
The initiative, which is comparable to a $25,000 scholarship, is a cooperation between the aerospace sector and the Air Force to solve the countrywide pilot shortage.
Ballinger is a rising senior at Sidwell Friends School with ambitious intentions for the future. After graduation, he plans to apply to the Air Force Academy.
After his certification at such a young age puts him ahead of many others his age, he advises others his age to be aware of new chances as well.
After passing his instrument check-ride with the FAA medical examiner, he will get his Private Pilot License (PPL). Ballinger is 17 years old, which is the minimum age for the license.
He performed a solo cross-country flight during the program. He was one of two cadets in his program who were prepared to do so. He worked really hard during the program, and it paid off.
This has been a fantastic experience for him all around, he continued, but it has been intense. They get up at 6 a.m., some mornings at 4:30 a.m., to beat the winds so they can fly six days a week, hours and hours of ground school, studying to pass all the tests, but it’s so worth it.
The initiative will also tackle the problem of diversity in the aviation business, since just 12% of all Air Force pilots are now from minority backgrounds.
Let’s wish Christopher Ballinger the best of luck in his flying career! We are confident that the young man will accomplish great success.
